1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to underground houses and methods of construction thereof and, more particularly, to dome-shaped underground houses and methods of construction thereof.
2. Description of the Prior Art
With the advent of rapidly rising housing construction costs and heating and cooling costs, many different types of low-cost energy-efficient dwelling structures have been proposed. Underground or partially underground dwelling structures which have been proposed have certain advantages, a major advantage being that the temperature of the earth becomes more nearly constant as depth of the dwelling structure increases. Consequently, relatively uniform temperatures both in summer and winter have been obtained with previous underground or partially underground dwellings. However, in the past, it has been difficult and expensive to attain satisfactory lighting of the interior of known underground structures. Further, the costs of construction frequently have been unacceptably high compared to other low cost above-ground (but less energy efficient) dwelling structures.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a low cost, energy-efficient dwelling structure and method of construction thereof providing substantially more natural interior lighting than has been available from previous underground or partially underground dwelling structures.
A variety of above-ground dome-shaped building structures have been proposed. However, they have required complex and unduly expensive welded steel frames. Expensive siding materials have been attached to the steel frames. Due to their high cost and the absence of any advantages related to energy efficiency, above-ground dome-shaped residential structures have not been popular.
It is another object of the invention to provide a dome-shaped structure having sufficient structural strength to support surrounding earth and earth which lies against the structure without requiring complex and unduly expensive supporting structure.
Previously, dome-shaped structures having exterior concrete or gunnite surfaces were required to be constructed by utilizing preformed dome-shaped forms or support structures to prevent sagging of the moist concrete walls prior to hardening thereof. The necessity for providing such forms added greatly to the difficulty and expense of making prior dome-shaped building structures.
Accordingly, it is still another object of the invention to provide a method of making a dome-shaped building structure without the necessity of providing expensive forms to support its concrete wall when it is moist.